Articles about entrepreneurial ex-prisoners

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UK ex-prisoners

‘Police knew me by my first name but now I’m an entrepreneur’ The Eltham criminal who went from prison to personal trainer
https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/police-knew-first-name-now-15920056

Here’s How Prison Taught Me How to ‘Lead From the Front’
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308907

Big Issue Seller Becomes Cambridge Entrepreneur
http://www.heart.co.uk/cambridgeshire/news/local/big-issue-seller-becomes-cambridge-entrepreneur/

Nearly 80% of prison inmates want to start their own business — a fact that could help stop them from re-offending
http://uk.businessinsider.com/the-majority-of-prison-inmates-want-to-start-their-own-businesses-2017-6

100 Women: From prison to profit
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38315132

From the bard to spice: Jerk sauce entrepreneur reveals how he made millions after prison
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/690148/Levi-Roots-shakespeare-prison-multimillionaire

Dragons’ Den has made me £30m fortune
http://www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/231317/Dragons-Den-has-made-me-30m-fortune

Meet the 23-year-old entrepreneur who turned his life around to open his own milkshake business
http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/real-life/meet-the-23-year-old-entrepreneur-who-turned-his-life-around-to-open-his-own-milkshake-business-401540.html

How Prison Entrepreneurship Could Break the Cycle of Reoffending and Save Taxpayers Billions
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/maximilian-yoshioka/prison-reform_b_10018068.html

Becoming a fitness instructor
Becoming a fitness instructor
Another article on the same ex-prisoner

New business, new problems
http://www.the-record.org.uk/unlock-people-with-convictions/new-life-new-business-new-problems/

An internet business
http://www.the-record.org.uk/unlock-people-with-convictions/scotts-story/

From Prison Slop to Organic Sausages, the story of Giggly Pig
http://www.the-record.org.uk/unlock-people-with-convictions/from-prison-slop-to-organic-sausages-the-story-of-giggly-pig/

Entrepreneur of the year puts prison past behind her
http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/entrepreneur-year-puts-prison-past-behind-her

Article on the difficulties prisoners face in accessing learning
http://blog.peoplemanagement.co.uk/2013/03/tough-learning/

Ex-prisoner sets up business (the page also contains advice on starting up)
http://www.startupdonut.co.uk/startup/start-up-business-ideas/profile-the-ex-offender-

Finding work after prison.
Two sisters recount their experiences of prison, and their difficulty in finding employment afterwards (which is why we advocate working for yourself).
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/oct/19/life-after-prison-sisters-drug-smuggling

Ex prisoners become self-employed
http://www.gocompare.com/covered/2013/232922/should-ex-cons-become-entrepreneurs/

USA ex-prisoners

Black Mom, Former Inmate Who Won a Grant From Beyonce, Expands Children’s Underwear Line
https://www.blacknews.com/news/yolanda-perkins-black-mom-former-inmate-who-won-a-grant-from-beyonce-expands-childrens-underwear-line/

Entrepreneur Bun Bydaway Explains How He Beat The Prison System To Launch A Successful Career
https://allhiphop.com/features/entrepreneur-bun-bydaway-explains-how-he-beat-the-prison-system-to-launch-a-successful-career-5vPbS9IYz02iqJtZqTiIIg

New York man goes from cooking crack to baking cookies
https://www.blackenterprise.com/new-york-man-goes-from-cooking-crack-to-baking-cookies/

Marcus Bullock recounts his journey from incarceration to tech entrepreneur
https://rollingout.com/2020/01/29/marcus-bullock-recounts-his-journey-from-incarceration-to-tech-entrepreneur/

After 20 years in jail, Wallace Peeples became a successful entrepreneur in just two years
https://face2faceafrica.com/article/after-20-years-in-jail-wallace-peeples-became-a-successful-entrepreneur-in-just-two-years

Real estate mogul Annetta Powell shares how she went from behind bars to building businesses
https://www.blackenterprise.com/real-estate-mogul-annetta-powell-shares-how-she-went-from-behind-bars-to-building-businesses/

Struggling Single Mom Transforms From Convicted Felon to Successful Entrepreneur
https://www.blacknews.com/news/sharon-steele-single-mom-transforms-convicted-felon-successful-entrepreneur/

F.A.T.E. From Addict To Entrepreneur With Kenneth Fowles, Professional Artist and Michael Dash
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/f-a-t-e-from-addict-to-entrepreneur-with-kenneth-fowles-professional-artist-and-michael-dash/

EX-CONVICT TURNED ENTREPRENEUR LAUNCHES FIRST BLACK-OWNED INSTANT RAMEN NOODLES BRAND
https://theculturechronicle.com/ex-convict-turned-entrepreneur-launches-first-black-owned-instant-ramen-noo.htm

From prison cell to selling potatoes: Flint entrepreneur shares story of overcoming adversity
https://www.abc12.com/content/news/From-prison-cell-to-selling-potatoes-Flint-entrepreneur-shares-story-of-overcoming-adversity-540344011.html

Soup’s on for this ex-convict turned ramen noodle entrepreneur
https://www.blackenterprise.com/soups-on-for-this-ex-convict-turned-ramen-noodle-entrepreneur/

Andrew Medal Is The Ex-Convict Entrepreneur Breaking All Of The Rules And Disrupting Tech
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joresablount/2019/08/06/andrew-medal-is-the-ex-convict-entrepreneur-breaking-all-of-the-rules-and-disrupting-tech/

Former inmate Davis Powell finds himself surviving, thriving as entrepreneur
http://www.startribune.com/former-inmate-davis-powell-finds-himself-surviving-and-thriving-as-an-entrepreneur/492240981/

Teaching Entrepreneurship, Coding Skills May Be the Way Out Of the Prison Cycle
https://hypepotamus.com/community/how-entrepreneurship-tech-education-can-reduce-recidivism/

Ex-Convicts Make the Best Entrepreneurs. Here Are 3 Reasons Why.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/314598

Graphics designer Smith goes from prisoner to entrepreneur
http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/ARTICLE/20180507/PRINTEDITION/305039949

From Drug Kingpin To Fitness CEO On 5th Avenue
https://www.psfk.com/2017/06/drug-kingpin-fitness-ceo-5th-avenue.html

Former inmate turned entrepreneur gives grandmother first tattoo
https://www.cbs58.com/news/she-never-gave-up-on-me-former-inmate-turned-entrepreneur-gives-grandmother-first-tattoo

From inmate to entrepreneur, owner of new shuttle service overcomes obstacles
http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/business-beat/2017/11/08/from-inmate-to-entrepreneur–owner-of-new-shuttle-service-overcomes-obstacles-

Rochester entrepreneur turns rocky past into success story
http://13wham.com/news/local/rochester-entrepreneur-turns-rocky-past-into-community-success-story

Sonoma Co. cannabis entrepreneur Dennis Hunter bounces back from prison to become model CEO
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/sonomacounty/7076067-186/dennis-hunter-cannabis-commerce?artslide=0

How To Tap Inmates’ Entrepreneurial Spirit? A Boulder Man’s Trying
https://www.cpr.org/news/story/tapping-inmates-entrpeneurial-spirit

How I Became An Entrepreneur After Serving A Four-Year Prison Term
https://www.fastcompany.com/40414776/how-i-became-an-entrepreneur-after-serving-a-four-year-prison-term

Unlocked Potential: From Incarceration to Entrepreneurship
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/290097

New Program At Donovan Prison Will Train Inmates As Entrepreneurs
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/jan/30/program-donovan-prison-will-train-inmates-entrepre

Ralphy Dominguez sets up a leather business
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/285865

Budding Entrepreneur Leaves Prison Past Behind
http://www.wsj.com/articles/budding-entrepreneur-leaves-prison-past-behind-1479845133

From prisoner to entrepreneur
http://www.aei.org/publication/from-prisoner-to-entrepreneur/

How This Ex-Con Started From Nothing to Build a 7-Figure Business
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/284717

Silicon Valley’s Hot New Snack Was Born in Prison
http://time.com/4369777/prison-bars-snack/

Lockup to startup: An entrepreneur’s journey from behind bars to starting two businesses
Lhttp://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/business/2016/04/lockup-to-startup-a-tempe-entrepreneur-s-journey.html

It’s Back to Prison For This Entrepreneur and He Couldn’t Be Happier
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/05/prweb13403748.htm

Four people who turned prison stints into businesses
http://fusion.net/story/193782/four-people-who-turned-prison-stints-into-businesses

From prisoner to entrepreneur – Ralphy Dominguez – leathersmith
Ralphy Dominguez – leathersmith
– And here’s a copy of the recording from LatinoUSA.org in case the link doesn’t work

Turning criminals into entrepreneurs
http://greenwichfreepress.com/event/turning-former-criminals-into-entrepreneurs-defy-ventures-founder-catherine-hoke-addresses-entrepreneurs-at-startup-grind-greenwich-event-on-june-17th-at-6pm/

Instagram for prisoners
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/techflash/2015/06/an-instagram-for-prison-how-this-local.html

4 ways going to prison made me a better entrepreneur
http://nextshark.com/4-ways-going-to-prison-made-me-a-better-entrepreneur/

How My Life as an Entrepreneur Shaped My Time in Prison
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242463

Coffee entrepreneur finds redemption in every cup
http://www.contracostatimes.com/bay-area-news/ci_27359516/antioch-coffee-entrepreneur-finds-redemption-every-cup

Texas program pushes business savvy, entrepreneurship as way to keep prisoners from returning
www.newser.com/article/7972b4fd4545462197419e8e2adba508/texas-program-pushes-business-savvy-entrepreneurship-as-way-to-keep-prisoners-from-returning.html

How this man built a $3m business a year on from four years in prison.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/hollieslade/2014/08/21/how-this-man-built-a-3m-business-a-year-on-from-four-years-in-prison/

Ted talk – A former Missouri senator talks about entrepreneurialism in prison
http://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_smith_lessons_in_business_from_prison.html

Texas – Prison Entrepreneurship Program blog
http://iwasinprison.com/tag/prison-entrepreneur/

PEP website – Texas
http://www.pep.org/

From Jail Cell To Studio: Drug Dealer Becomes Personal Trainer
http://www.npr.org/2015/01/02/371894920/from-jail-cell-to-studio-drug-dealer-becomes-personal-trainer

San Quentin high-tech incubator forges coders, entrepreneurs
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/12/10/san-quentin-high-tech-incubator-silicon-valley-the-last-mile-code7370-chris-redlitz-beverly-parenti/77093164

Africa

Inside tracks: the recording studio offering musical escape in a Cameroon prison

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/may/24/inside-tracks-the-record-label-providing-hope-in-a-cameroonian-jail

Australia

Convicted Gold Coast gangster with bikie links goes from jail and cage fights to turning over six figures with unlikely new business ventures
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5374095/Gold-Coast-ex-criminal-wealthy-clothing-entrepreneur.html

Research papers

From inmates to entrepreneurs – How prison entrepreneurship can break the cycle of reoffending
Prison Entrepreneurs.pdf

The entrepreneurial aptitude of prison inmates and the potential benefit of self-employment training programs
http://scholarworks.rit.edu/article/505/

Reducing Re-offending: The Enterprise Option
http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/reducing-reoffending-enterprise-option.pdf

How social enterprise can help reduce re-offending
http://www.theguardian.com/social-enterprise-network/2013/jan/22/social-enterprise-reduce-reoffending

Self-employment is one of the few viable career alternatives for people released from prison.
http://www.bostonfed.org/commdev/c&b/2012/summer/from-prison-to-prosperity.htm

The most important subjects for prisoners: “investing, self-employment, budgeting, and saving.”
http://www.psmag.com/education/financial-education-jail-can-empower-inmates-65617/

Articles about entrepreneurial ex-prisoners

UK ex-prisoners

USA ex-prisoners

Germany

India

Middle East

South Africa

Africa

Australia

Research papers